Category Archives: Sketchbook Project 2012

In 2012 I took part in the global art project called the Sketchbook Project. My running-related sketchbook joined over 30,000 others in Brooklyn Art Library in NYC!. These posts explain a little more about my sketchbook. For more info on the project visit http://www.arthousecoop.com/projects/sketchbookproject2012

Here’s the next installment about my recent participation in the international sketchbook project organised by Arthouse.

The theme I chose was “Along The Line” which I’ve interpretted both literally in terms of the style of my drawings but also to use the pages to portray different things associated with the timeline of my life so far – a mini-autobiography, if you will.

Having relatives in St Ives means there’s no excuse for not visiting the amazing Cornwall countryside. Having an artist as your aunt (Sally MacCabe – find her website here) who lives in Cornwall means there’s no excuse for not being creative while you’re down there!

Page 25 - Beyond Porthminster

I sketched this view across Porthminster beach from my aunt’s first floor lounge window, sitting above her studio, one morning.

Here’s the next installment about my recent participation in the international sketchbook project organised by Arthouse.

The theme I chose was “Along The Line” which I’ve interpretted both literally in terms of the style of my drawings but also to use the pages to portray different things associated with the timeline of my life so far – a mini-autobiography, if you will.

Back in June 2011 I was pointed in the the direction of a thing called Juneathon – a group of people who look to jog, log and blog for every day in June. The aim is to exercise every day and blog about it. The friendly competition and community spirit help to inspire and motivate.

Page 24 - Juneathon

Very simply, this is a calendar of my efforts. The red “S” signifies when I swam instead of running, otherwise the numbers indicate how many kilometres I covered each day.

Here’s the next installment about my recent participation in the international sketchbook project organised by Arthouse.

The theme I chose was “Along The Line” which I’ve interpretted both literally in terms of the style of my drawings but also to use the pages to portray different things associated with the timeline of my life so far – a mini-autobiography, if you will.

This is the first of 3 pages dedicated to my personal running inspirations, this one pays homage to Steve Naylor.

Page 23 - Get In Line

Steve came to running late but has taken to it like a duck to water and his performances have won him county titles and an England call up too. He’s still getting quicker too!

Last year Steve competed in his first road race as an elite entrant – the Bupa 10,000 in London – and that is what I’ve drawn.

The black line at the top is Mo Farah, the one at the bottom is the last finisher of the race. The blue and red lines mark every hundred and thousand finishers. The length of the lines are proportionate to the race finshing time of that finisher. Just under Mo’s lines is a green line with is the one and only Steve Naylor – who finished in 22nd place and just 90 seconds being Mo Farah.

Here’s the next installment about my recent participation in the international sketchbook project organised by Arthouse.

The theme I chose was “Along The Line” which I’ve interpretted both literally in terms of the style of my drawings but also to use the pages to portray different things associated with the timeline of my life so far – a mini-autobiography, if you will.

New York is an amazing place and over the last few years I’ve been lucky enough to visit it 3 times. It is definitely my favourite place in the world and recommend it to anyone. With my love of architecture, it is awesome to see so many iconic buildings.

Page 22 - NYC Skyline

New York is special to The Wife and I: we got engaged there, we celebrated the end of The Wife’s cancer treatments there and spent our first wedding anniversary there too.

On the week of our anniversary I ended up doing three 10k’s around Central Park, such was the inspiration. I don’t think we’ll ever get bored of the Big Apple.

Here’s the next installment about my recent participation in the international sketchbook project organised by Arthouse.

The theme I chose was “Along The Line” which I’ve interpretted both literally in terms of the style of my drawings but also to use the pages to portray different things associated with the timeline of my life so far – a mini-autobiography, if you will.

Another running influence, but this time it was from watching the London Marathon in 2o11. The Wife and I joined our friends @richinvitc and @nowmrssills to support the charity Gemma works for, TACT, and their runners.

Page 21 - Halfway

We were stationed at the halfway mark. The day was so inspirational, seeing so many people tackling the great race. Recalling my half marathon experiences I wondered what it’d feel like reaching halfway and thinking I’d have to do it all again before I could finish.

It was the start of my Twitter career and also the start of changing my “I’ll never do a marathon” stance. Maybe 2013 will see me tackle a marathon. Maybe.

Here’s the next installment about my recent participation in the international sketchbook project organised by Arthouse.

The theme I chose was “Along The Line” which I’ve interpretted both literally in terms of the style of my drawings but also to use the pages to portray different things associated with the timeline of my life so far – a mini-autobiography, if you will.

This page is not another homage to my time in Aberdeen dancing to the Proclaimers (because that’s what happens in Scotland) but is my biggest running challenge yet.

Page 20 - 500 Miles

My company chose Maggie’s Cancer Care Centres as their charity of the year so I decided to do something big to raise money, and get back into a habit of exercise. I chose to try to cover the distance between the two proposed Maggie’s Centres closest to the 2 offices I work from – Oxford and Aberdeen – within 12 months with the aim of raising £1 for every kilometre covered.

I chose to measure in kilometres because that meant I’d be aiming for £800.

As I write this I have covered 960km and raised £908. With 6 weeks of my 12 months left, I look set to break the revised targets of £1000 and 1000km. If I keep pushing I might even get to 1100km!

Here’s the next installment about my recent participation in the international sketchbook project organised by Arthouse.

The theme I chose was “Along The Line” which I’ve interpretted both literally in terms of the style of my drawings but also to use the pages to portray different things associated with the timeline of my life so far – a mini-autobiography, if you will.

We had to reschedule our wedding as a result of The Wife’s treatments – when the day came it was an even more fantastic celebration with all our family and friends.

Page 19 - Circular Line

A circular line is, of course, a ring – and this romantic ring of words represents our wedding day and the start of our marriage. I wrote a phrase that in itself isn’t clear where is starts of finishes:

Here’s the next installment about my recent participation in the international sketchbook project organised by Arthouse.

The theme I chose was “Along The Line” which I’ve interpretted both literally in terms of the style of my drawings but also to use the pages to portray different things associated with the timeline of my life so far – a mini-autobiography, if you will.

In good old dingbat (or Catchphrase for those of you who preferred Roy Walker) fashion, Page 18 does what it says on the tin.

Page 18 - Draw A Line Under It

This is the beginning of trying to move on from the stressful time. This beginning is where I put on my running shoes again for a fundraising challenge to give something back to the ward that looked after The Wife after her surgery – it seems fairly insignificant compared to my current challenge but that’s far from the truth. Completing three 10k races in a month, or 30k’s in 30 days, was a big ask after years of virtually no exercise!

Here’s the next installment about my recent participation in the international sketchbook project organised by Arthouse.

The theme I chose was “Along The Line” which I’ve interpretted both literally in terms of the style of my drawings but also to use the pages to portray different things associated with the timeline of my life so far – a mini-autobiography, if you will.

There is a big contrast in today’s page compared to yesterday and that, in a very small way, begins to reflect the contrast of feelings between our engagement and hearing that The Wife had been diagnosed with cancer.

Page 16 - Big C Rollercoaster

The line simply represents the emotional rollercoaster that we’ve been on.

I saved this next installment about my recent participation in the international sketchbook project organised by Arthouse until today as it was more apt.

The theme I chose was “Along The Line” which I’ve interpretted both literally in terms of the style of my drawings but also to use the pages to portray different things associated with the timeline of my life so far – a mini-autobiography, if you will.

I will confess one thing: the illustration was not made with one continuous line. The title is less literal. The drawing is of a diamond, but not just any diamond. This is an exact drawing of the diamond that, once attached to a ring of platinum, I purchased for The Wife, while she was still The Girlfriend!

Page 15 - One Line

On our first visit to New York I had planned to pop the question, and with a hotel just a few hundred yards from Tiffany’s what else could I do?

Having already contacted Tiffany’s to understand how one goes about buying an engagement ring I knew I had time to find the perfect opportunity to ask the question. My nerves however decided to wait til the end of our holiday.

I decided to subtly feed the conversation towards the question by stating that it’d be nice to take something home from Tiffany’s as a memento. The romantic response was, “Like a snowglobe? Or a keyring?”

When it finally dawned, the next comment was, “We can’t, that’ll be too expensive.”

Following the nature of the question, I had to insist that it was my way or no way. I was putting my foot down!

We headed across to Tiffany’s to be shown the options. It was a little embarrassing to have to admit that we couldn’t tell the difference between a couple of the diamonds. They all looked wonderfully sparkly.

Once we had decided on the ring we were invited to a small table to sort out the paperwork and were offered a drink.

“A glass of water would be lovely” said The dry-mouthed Fiancée. “Oh”, came the response, “I thought you might want to celebrate with some champagne?”

Now that’s customer service!

While waiting for the paperwork we clocked someone we thought we recognised. Surely it couldn’t be? It turns out it could. And their wife would be the first to congratulate us.

It was none other than Sir Clive Woodward and his wife, Jayne, doing some Christmas shopping. Sir Clive, shuffling the receipts into his wallet, added his best wishes to his wife’s and went on his way.

So anyway, ultimately, after returning to the UK we received a package from Tiffany’s. It was the final piece of the paperwork: the diamond certificate, with a depiction of the diamond.